Rating: 
Summary: Holy Grail? Secrets come from ordinary experiences.
Review: Writing can be magical -- to be a conduit of the voices, to be merely the typist, to get out of the way of your characters, and to see the story develope like a Polaroid. Anne Lamott's book is practical, entertaining, insightful, amusing, and right on. I'm reading it for about the third time along with Julia Cameron's "An Artist's Way". I'm just starting to accept that the important thing, as Lamott points out, is the process of writing not the product. This book is good for beginners but a reminder for us who write and put our poems, short stories, novels in boxes within boxes in file cabinets in the basement. Anne Lamott reminds us that writing is a very human activity. It is humbling and exhilerating. And when we feel so alone in the process, Anne Lamott reminds us we're not alone in the things we confront or experience in the process. Writing is messy . . . is art. The magic, the secrets of the art come from ordinary experiences in the process. So, holy grail? Everybody has their own experience in salvation. Anne Lamott just reminds us common people who have to write to remain sane that we're not alone.
Rating: 
Summary: Maybe it's sacrilege but...
Review: I don't really care for this book. With all the hyperbole about it, I really expected it to be the Holy Grail of inspirational writing books.Instead, it's very heavily laden with metaphors and similes where writing and related topics are compared to all manner of things, and a lot of self-indulgent autobiography that I found more off-putting than inspiring. In just one short chapter on "giving" she presents these: * "shot my literary creative wad every day"
* "like Zorba the Greek at the keyboard" (Huh??)
* "I'm a wired little rodent squirreling things away"
* "like patients in an emergency room"
* "like you violated some archaic law in their personal Koran"
* "like a single parent of a 3-year-old"
And *that* simile then compared to "like a doting grandparent." I found that kind of style tedious after a while. I've tried repeatedly to get through this book - even getting it on tape (and the author reads the entire thing in a monotone). The overall tone is depressing (unless you really want to hear about cancer and cocaine abuse), and the points can be frustratingly contradictory. For example, she exhorts on writing your truth and pain, but at the same time quotes an editor who told her "you assume everything that's happened to you is interesting." This is like telling new writers to dig deeply within their own memories/experiences and write about them honestly, and then chiding them for writing "what really happened." I only found a couple of useful tidbits, but with so many other books on this subject that say the same things more concisely and directly, this one just isn't worth it. If you really want to read it, check it out of the library instead.
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Summary: Great Advice for Burgeoning Writers in America
Review: The writer's life isn't always glamorous, but there is usually never a dull moment(OK maybe a few). LaMott tells it like it is. I got this book from my sister Sarah, who knew I was writing my first book. It turned out to be one of my favorite books of all time. It was interesting to eavesdrop on different strategies she employed to keep her writing fresh and creative. The book was so well written, I felt like I was talking to a good friend. Well Done Anne!! Jeffrey McAndrew
author of "Our Brown Eyed Boy"
Rating: 
Summary: nuts
Review: This woman is crazy...but she knows how to inspire creativity. If you need some encouragement and ideas about how to start writing and get over the small trials that come with writing..this book is for you. She is amazing. She is just also nuts:)
Rating:
Summary: Very Useful and Funny!
Review: I found this book to be very inspiring. Ms. Lamott gave suggestions on writing and shared her knowledge, and I found it very useful. This book is also very funny and light and a quick read. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to write or needs advice on writing, because I think it is an excellent source of information.
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Summary: Review Bird by Bird
Review: In the world of writing there are many different books that one can check out to find guidance and inspiration. This book explains how to write in a down to earth way. Writing is like walking, taking one step at a time until you end up where you want to be. Oferring everything from she has ever learned about writing Anne Lamott presents it in a way that is humorous, inspirational and can help any writer who is having trouble. After you finish reading this book you will be motivated to want to write for hours upon hours. The first part of the book is a basic overview of how to write a work of literature. The number one rule of writing is to tell the truth. The reader does not want to read a story from an unrealiable source. After the writer swears to write the truth Lamott says to start from the very beginning of your life. Write down everything: where you went to school? who your friends and teachers were? What clothes you wore? things like that. Then expand the details, write the fine points and then just keep going. Writing is observing what is around you and putting that on paper. To get into the mood for writing, make it a habit, sit down at the same time, and just write. The only way to get better at something is to practice, so practice writing. This process is the same for everyone. Once you start the writing, the characters need to come into play. What are the different personalities of these people? Are they good with morals? Or are they bad to the bone? Now ask yourself different uestions and think of an answer that the character might respond with. Get to know your characters personally and let there be something at stake or else the story will be very boring. One way to familiarize yourself with the characters is to base them on people you know. As the plot thickens, Lamott says that the characters interacting make the plot. Two characters who learn about each other day by day are bound to have something happen to them at some point. After the characters are in place, the set needs to be accounted for. This accounting is where the author gets to be the director and set everything into place. What does the room or surroundings look like? What time is it? What does the area smell like? These and many other questions need answere to make the plot work. Bird by Bird also has many examples as to why to write in the first place. You can give your writing as a gift. Write someone a story and they will chereish it forever. Write for the communitiy, in a paper. Tell the populaceyour view of an event happening in the town. The best reason to write, is to have it published. To have your words immortalized in a book is one of life's ultimate moments. Although Lamott says that it is not as big as, one would make it. Once you have a published book, you think that it could have been better written she argues. Lamott has a lot of advice to give to writers who feel stuck in their writing. Her advise can be put to good use. The first advise is to carry index cards, when a good idea pops into your head, just whip out an index card and jot down your idea. Later gather your index cards while writing and put your good ideas to use. Lamott says that a telephone is a good resource to use on writing. When you need a second opinion about something or need some expert advice just use a telephone to instantly contact someone. Another good piece of advice is to shut up that voice that says that your work is worthless, that it is not perfect, and that it does not sound good. Silence that voice in order to achieve perfection. Probably the most important advice is to keep writing. Practice makes perfect. This book has taught me a lot about writing. I thorougly enjoyed the book. Lamott explains how to write well in a simple, humorous, way that makes writing enjoyable. I highly recomend Bird by Bird. Even though I will not pursue a career in writing, I can not wait to start my own story just to be writing.
Rating:
Summary: Living and Thinking as a Writer
Review: The best explanation of character development that I've read is in this book. Lamont explains the process of getting to know your characters personalities (ie what they eat for breakfast in the morning and what their dream job is, favorite color, etc.) I've found it to be a useful workbook, reading a paragraph or a chapter and using it as a writing assignment or spending time working on my writing "in the works" because it is so motivational and sparks my creativity and new ideas. Plus, I wanted it to last as long as possible!
Rating: 
Summary: It not as I expected.
Review: This book is full of discouragement. Do not read it.
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Summary: Lamott on the Aged
Review: I read with pleasure my first Anne Lamott book, Bird by Bird, but I was concerned to discover that, in it, she describes old people (in nursing homes) as past their use-by date, exept as props for the compassion of others. In contrast, Lamott says we can 'see' the spirit of diseased Gay men with AIDS shining through their ravaged bodies. Hmmm For mine, the stereotypical perspective on the frail aged dropped the book's rating from 5 to 4 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Best book yet that I have read about how to write.
Review: I have never read a book all the way through giving instructions on how to write. This is my first. Anne Lamott's life stories and humor made this an enjoyable read. I loved the occasional poems and childhood stories. Her technique humanized her writing. This is a book that will utilized more than once in my home.
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